The Test of the Heart
}} The final, and harshest, of the 3 tests of Sunken Valley has begun. Do the Order have what it takes to pass??! Cast * The Order of the Stick ** Roy Greenhilt ◀ ▶ ** Haley Starshine ◀ ▶ ** Elan ◀ ▶ ** Belkar Bitterleaf ◀ ▶ ** Durkon Thundershield ◀ ▶ ** Vaarsuvius ◀ ▶ * A Mohrg? * Doc of the Dead ▶ * Nurse Wretched Transcript Elan: Let's see, we thought our way past the Test of the Body- Roy: Who is this "we" you're talking about? Elan: —and we fought our way past the Test of the Mind. Elan: I guess that just leaves the Test of the Heart, whatever that is. Undead: Indeed it does, live one! Undead: Prepare yourself, seekers, for now we shall truly see from what you are made! The Test of the Heart is nigh! Undead: The Test of the Heart will judge whether you are worthy to meet the Oracle and learn your fates! Many embark on this test, but few have what it takes to pass. The truths that are in your heart will be laid bare for all to know! Undead: Are you prepared to submit to the Test of the Heart? Roy: Allow me to consult the Peanut Gallery. Roy: You heard the Cryptkeeper knock-off, guys. Are you ready for this? Elan: No worries, Roy! We're fully prepared to expose our deepest secrets to this undead horror! Elan: Right, gang? We have nothing to hide from each other! Aren't our hearts free of all fear and doubt? Belkar: I doubt you have two brain cells to rub together-does that count? Undead: Are you ready, then? Roy: No, but I don't see the passage of time improving the situation. Undead: Very well. Undead: Pray to what gods you serve that you will be deemed worthy of this rare honor! Find your reserves of courage, warriors, for the Test of the Heart begins—NOW!! Inside a doctor's surgery Doc of the Dead: Pulse rate is 60...blood pressure is 85 over 60...You pass. NEXT! D&D Context * What exact type of undead the "Cryptkeeper knock-off" and the Doc of the Dead are is not clear. The nurse appears to be drawn in the same style as zombies in previous comics, but the Cryptkeeper and the Doc have darker skin and no veins. More importantly, they are intelligent, which eliminates the possibility of them being zombies, which are listed as having Int 0. They could be ghouls, which are intelligent, but ghouls have already been depicted in #300 as being green with fangs. Wights would be another possibility, but Rich will later depict them, starting in #513 as having white skin (of course) and fangs. Since these undead are corporeal, things like ghosts and wraiths are out. That leaves mummies and the more obscure mohrg (as well as numerous even more obscure types). Since Mohrg's are basically intelligent zombies, this fits the depiction best, although the case can be made for a mummy, as the Cryptkeeper in the Tales from the Crypt TV show does live in a sarcophagus like a mummy. Trivia * The Crypt Keeper is the host of the TV horror anthology series Tales from the Crypt, itself based on the 1950's comics of the same name. In the comics the Crypt Keeper is a living old man, but in the TV show he is an animated corpse. * This is the first appearance of the Mohrg doctor, Doc of the Dead. * This is the only appearance of his assistant, Nurse Wretched. She is not given a name in the web comic, but is named in the Order of the Stick Adventure Game. External Links * 328}} View the comic * 5341}} View the discussion thread Category:The Oracle of Sunken Valley